Friday, June 26, 2009

HOLY WEEK IN BORACAY / APRIL 8-10,2009 =D

The impossible has finally happened. I found myself in Boracay last Holy Week. ACK!

Those who know my family well know that it's bawal for us "kids" to go on gimmick trips during these holiest of weeks. "Bawal magsaya, patay ang Diyos," I remember Lola Sinay saying as she tried to shush our giggling. We were kids and did not grasp the full gravity of Christ dying on the cross to save mankind.

This year, I had to struggle with having to tell my mom that Hubby Sweet and I would be flying to Boracay for Holy Week. The fact that I had to do it for work (!) did not lessen the gravity of the....uh....for lack of a better word....offense. Naku! Lola Sinay and Noni must be turning in their graves. Still, Mother understood that I had no choice. Quite honestly, I love spending Holy Week in Manila. It's the only time one can find Manila peaceful and quiet--and traffic-free. You want the perfect place for silent meditation during Holy Week? Stay put in Manila.

I was not looking forward to all the parties. Maybe I've grown old and turned corny, but Boracay during Holy Week means endless parties (one of which I must attend as it was the primary reason for me flying there in the first place), and I've pretty much outgrown the partying-till-dawn-days-of-my-youth. But miracles do happen, and for some weird (or DIVINE! ;P) reason, this year, the council declared that no parties will be allowed in Boracay from 12:00 a.m. of Good Friday to 12:00 a.m. of Black Saturday! Good. =)

So there we were, Hubby Sweet and I, walking along the practically deserted beach (as people seem to have made the most out of the last night of partying allowed on the island before the clock struck 12). I was clicking away on my trusty cell (because our darn digicam which was supposed to be water-proof clunked the day before, long story). I wanted to show Sister Pusjing just how much Boracay has changed since we were there last. Even on that relatively slow day, you can see traces that the Boracay we once knew is no longer there.

Sculptures on the sand. Made by kids. Beautiful at night, especially with the lit candles. Charming, yes, except that you have to "donate" if you want to pose beside them. Naku! =)


Brand activations have also taken over the island. Maybe it is less so during non-peak months (we're going back in September; I'll know then), but during Holy Week, you can't escape them. You walk past them--booths, banners, models-cum-sellers, etc., etc.--as you walk along the shore.


You see them on the water from sunrise to sunset. (The pic was taken at low-tide. During the day, these paraws actually sail a good distance from the shore. Still, this basically shows that the old fishermen's bancas that we used to swim to and use as makeshift diving platforms have all been replaced by "billboards on water".)


There are even creative ways of getting people to act as your "walking signboard" without paying them a single centavo. Come to think of it, this was particularly clever because people were clamoring to get these floaters "for free". On a "limited basis", Havaianas gave them away to people who bought P800++ flipflops from the Havaianas store in D'Mall. Yes, there is now a Havaianas store in Boracay. Oh, and yes, a Starbucks too. =)


So there we were, enjoying the relative peace and quiet (never mind the visual clutter) when from afar, I saw what I thought was a swarm of people.
I panicked. No. I PANICKED. In big, bold letters.

See, the thing is, I've always heard that Boracay is teeming with people from all walks of life during Holy Week. People tell me about it. I see it in the news. But nothing prepared me for what I saw coming toward us.

"Oh, my Gooooood," I thought, "It seems like the whole country descended on Boracay." Ngyar. =(

THEN, upon closer inspection, I heaved a sigh of EXTREME relief. What I thought to be a swarm of tourists descending on the island was actually....well....a swarm of tourists joining the local Holy Week procession on the beach!

The procession snaked through the sand and all the establishments (restaurants, bars, lounges, etc.) that have since set-up on the Bora shores before proceeding back to the Station 1 chapel.


It seems like the Boracay Council (upon the request of the parish) was right. Make it illegal for people to party at least on this Holiest Day of Days, they will learn to remember what Good Friday really stands for.

Good. =)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

SPAGETTINI IL CLASSICO @ CIBO =D

The Hubby not being a pasta fan, I haven’t been to Cibo in ages. Recently, I visited the new kid section for a quick gift-buying gift for Dos, BFF Mart’s second baby. I was going to be ninang at his baptism, but I could not attend because I’d be in Baguio with the fam for Mother’s birthday. So she decided that I will be the ninang who attend the baptismal seminar on behalf of everyone else. Haha!

The seminar was at 8:00 p.m. From Siob-Siob’s baptismal seminar (which Hubby Sweet had to attend), I knew it was going to last at least an hour. While waiting for the folks at Baby Co. to finish giftwrapping, I decided to sneak in a quick dinner.

I must say, taking my first forkful of Spaghettini Il Classico felt like meeting up with a long-lost friend. I had loved it from the time Cibo was still in the hallway across the old Sukhothai in Glorietta. It wasn’t even a proper restaurant back then, but it piqued our interest because (1) it was in a weird location, and (2), it had shiny stainless steel chairs and tables with orange, paper placemats. (Ang babaw namin, haha.) It was love at first bite, and I think I would forever credit Cibo (and Italianni’s) with my education that there is more to pasta than hotdog and meat spaghetti. Hehe. =)

Garlic and chili flakes in olive oil. Al dente pasta. Simple. Uncomplicated. Delicious. One of my favorite comfort foods. Perfect break for busy, stressful lives. Perfect for that Tuesday when I had to go to the office before 7:00 a.m. and when I had to work through lunch to finish all business requirements before 5:00 p.m. so I can sneak out of the office to buy the gift for Dos before I brave the horrible traffic on EDSA and Ortigas on my way to Mary the Queen in Greenhills and make it to the 8:00 p.m. baptismal seminar with time to spare. Whew! =)

With every bite, time stopped.

At least for the entire duration of my meal, there was peace.

‘Twas good to be back. =)


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Cibo is now in the new kid's section @ the top floor of Rockwell where the old bowling alley used to be. Bigger and better than their old ground floor location beside Starbucks. =)

Sunday, June 21, 2009

STRESS RELIEF =D

Most people say that their work-related stress is instantly relieved as soon as they walk through their front door and their kids start rushing to them with their antics. These are my kids. For now. Haha! =D


A few weeks ago, Hubby Sweet got to try out Father's new ukelele @ House Better. Already quite an adept guitar player, he was fascinated by the "new" instrument and spent a good part of the weekend learning how to play it with instructionals downloaded from You Tube. Wanting to continue the lessons in House Pioneer, he decided to skip over to Megamall one time and while he was "tuning" his new ukelele, we stumbled upon this hilarious antic from Barrioca.


Maybe Barrioca and Buster J really are built differently. While Barry was totally affected, Buster J is, as usual, deadma. Haha! =D



Friday, June 19, 2009

NOT SO HOT DOGS =(

I have a confession to make. I have long wanted to try this one out. I pass by it in Rockwell with its shiny red seats filled with people having their fill of gourmet sausages and I always think it’s a must-try. Thing is, with Hubby Sweet on a health quest, I was never able to—until one night when I serendipitously found myself with time enough to have a quick dinner between a trade check (@ Rustan’s) and a late-night FGD/consumer visit in a call center somewhere in Mandaluyong.



Finally, my chance! =D

Sadly, I was disappointed. =(

See, the thing is, I had visions of….well…visions of me being able to replicate the experience of the wide variety of sausage sandwiches I once wolfed down on the streets of Vienna with BFF Cheffy, Ade and Gnie-Gurl during The Wander Years. Maybe it had something to do with the darn place being called WORLD. BANGERS. HAUTE (!). DOGS. I mean….darn.

I ordered the Swiss Cheese & Mushroom Melt Haute Dog. OK, so now I have SWISS CHEESE added to my darn expectation of how a WORLD. BANGER. HAUTE (!). DOG. ought to taste like.

I had visions of a gigantic, peppery, strongly-flavored sausage smothered with gourmet cheese, laid out on a special, lightly toasted, freshly-baked roll.

This is what I got. A ton of fries with a sausage sandwich on the side. Ngyar. =(



I wouldn’t have minded if the sausage sandwich was divine. After all, I once listed French Fries as the one dish I would gladly eat everyday for the rest of my life if I were forced to. The thing is, the sausage should have been the star of the show! How do I describe it?

Think pan-grilled Purefoods Beef Franks laid out on an unheated/untoasted (noooooo!) store-bought hotdog roll topped with sautéed mushrooms then smothered with heated Chiz Whiz. Which is a pretty good combination when you think about it—if I prepared and ate the darn thing at home! =(


More importantly, it would have been a good combination when you think about it—if I did not have to pay MORE for the darn thing than what I would have shelled out if I just used the ingredients at home....=(

I had a hard time eating it pa because the roll was too small to hold everything that was in the sandwich so the entire thing kept collapsing everytime I picked it up. After several tries, I gave up and ate it with a fork and knife. And you don't really eat a sausage sandwich with a knife and fork, do you?


Maybe I should have ordered some other sausage sandwich instead. Like the Ceasar Salad Haute Dog (?). Maybe I wouldn't have had such grand expectations. Oh, well. Hay...=(

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The other new sandwich place in Rockwell that I want to try is Elbert’s Cheesesteak, but after this sad, sorry experience @ World Bangers, I’m afraid to waste good money na naman. Has anyone tried eating @
Elbert's and is it worth it? Tell me before I go!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

FRO-YO!!! / JUST TO GET THIS OVER WITH =D

I'm getting my blogging up to speed. The photos in my special blog folder is bursting at the seams. Haha. =D

So it's about time I write about FRO-YO since everyone else seems to have written about it. Frozen yoghurt. Technically, healthy--except that, well, we bungle up the healthy stuff with all sorts of high-calorie good stuff. Haha! =D Now, unlike most foodies who seem to have gained a Masters in Frozen Yoghurt, I make no distinction between the right tartness level of this brand, the too-creamy-texture of this other brand, etc. etc. I am not equipped to make the distinction. When I see frozen yoghurt, I see white goo that suspiciously looks like all the soft ice cream I consumed as a child while waiting for Mother to finish her grocery shopping @ the old South Supermarket in Magallanes, and...well....all of a sudden, my mind no longer cares how authentic it is.

I see frozen yoghurt, I think healthy. I think yum. Ngyar. =D

Which brings me to my point. This post is not about which Fro-yo brand reigns supreme over all other brands currently available in the metro. They're all the same to me. The only difference lies in what toppings I eat them with.

FRO-YO DO. =D This was from Lulubelle in Rockwell. Instead of the usual FIC pistachio ice cream scoop, Hubby Sweet and I decided to try out Lulubelle after his birthday meal @ Pepper Lunch. Good thing Lulubelle is owned by the same owners as FIC because we haven't been back to FIC since. What sets Lulubelle apart from the rest is that you can either get Plain, Strawberry or Green Tea yoghurt as base. You can even do a combo. As a tribute to all the soft ice cream I consumed as a child while waiting for Mother to finish her grocery shopping in the old South Supermarket in Magallanes (haha), I usually go for the plain & strawberry yoghurt mix. (I haven't tried the green tea version though, but I intend to do so next time.) This one I mixed with mango, mochi and sugar cornflakes. Winner. =D But only if the mango is in season and would therefore be naturally sweet.


FRO-YO DON'T! =( What the hell was I thinking?! While walking around the Mall of Asia, waiting for the gates @ The Eraserheads Reunion Concert to open, I coerced Hubby Sweet, Sister Pusjing and G-Genius to join me in looking for Red Mango (this frozen yoghurt place I saw in Thailand). I heard they opened a branch in Manila, and I mistakenly thought that they opened their first branch in MOA. (Sa Trinoma pala. =() Anyway! After going around in circles, the guard finally pointed us to this place. "Prozen yo-gart? Ah.....tingnan niyo dun, Mam. Baka dun yung hinahanap niyo," Manong said as he pointed to a small hole-in-the-wall kiosk. White Hat. Good enough, I thought, except that I was hell-bent on adding mochi to my fro-yo and they didn't have mochi. So I surveyed the line-up of toppings and thought, "Heck! Coffee jelly will do." Yes, I actually thought coffee jelly would do. Then I surveyed everything else for something that would go well with coffee jelly, and thought, "Oh, well...it looks like the only other thing that will be bagay would be the sweetened red beans." Yes, I actually thought sweetened red beans will be bagay with the coffee jelly that was supposed to go well with my fro-yo. Here is my fro-yo with coffee jelly and sweetened red beans. BLEEEEAAAAAACH! Totally against everything that frozen yoghurt stands for. Hahaha. Again .... what the hell was I thinking?! Ngyah. =D



FRO-YO PWEDE NA. =) Sister Pusjing and G-Genius decided to share their first ever fro-yo experience by going for the peach-cornflake-almond-slivers combo. OK lang. Good, but nothing that will instantly widen your eyes as you let out an emphatic "hmmmmmnnnn....". =) I have a tip. From previous experience, tasting the fro-yos of my friends, almond slivers only look good on top of frozen yoghurt, but they don't really contribute anything. They don't taste like anything. The ones available locally (possibly because they're not exactly fresh) don't even provide any crunch. So isa lang siyang sosyal but wala lang na topping. Haha. =D


FRO-YO DO! =D The big winner in the White Hat gig was Hubby Sweet. Choosing to add healthy stuff to his healthy yoghurt, he decided on a kiwi-strawberry combo. (Forgive the fuzzy photo. He was getting impatient with the whole idea of me taking pictures before he is allowed to eat, haha!) I suppose Hubby Sweet lucked out because it could have been a potentially very sour combination, but that night, his choice was particularly light and refreshing. It was so good, I actually wanted to tell him, "If you really love me, you'll give me you're kiwi-stawberry, and you'll eat my coffee-jelly-red-bean fro-yo instead!" HAHA! (He probably would have said, "Tweet, don't be dramatic. Bumili ka na lang ulit." Hahaha! =D)


THE PINAKA-FRO-YO DO! =D If I were to sum up all my learnings re: fro-yo up to that point, it would all amount to this. One can never go wrong with mochi. Adding fruit is a must--if only to stay true to the fro-yo health ek. Sugar cornflakes add a good cruch.

All that changed when I tasted this @ Yogurt Froz inside Landes & Hobbes in Boni High. MOCHI (yes, all my fro-yos must have mochis =D). BLUEBERRIES. STRAWBERRY. Never mind if the fruits are frozen. They only add a certain all-natural crunch to the mix. I've decided that this is going to be the combo against which all future combo experiments will be measured against. =D


So! What's your favorite? Tell me para I'll try it the next time I buy. =D

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Lulubelle is on the top floor of Rockwell where all the kiddie stores are--where the old bowling alley used to be.

White Hat is on the 2nd floor (I think) of MOA. It's almost right after the Entertainment / Activity Center hole (which means it's at the back of MOA). Important to note, unless you actually have enough energy to walk through the whole place.

Yogurt Froz is inside Landes & Hobbes in Bonifacio High Street. I'm not sure if they also have it in their other branches. I suspect that they do. =)

Monday, June 15, 2009

SPEAKING OF MEETING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS.....=D

A little over a week ago, I managed to sneak out of the office for lunch to welcome back Eric O who was home for a quick visit from L.A. Eric used to be Category Head when I was...well...still a child in the Marketing world. Haha! I joined the Tomato & Pineapple Company as a 24-year old who found herself to be the only "kid" (well, other than Mitch S who was 3 years older than me) in the company of mid-30s and up. They used to call me "Bata" and often referred to me as the baby of the Marketing group (ngyaaarrrrr....=)). Consequently, whether rightly or wrongly, it was a struggle in the beginning to get people to think that I can actually take on bigger and more major brands. It's not that they thought I was stupid. In fact, everyone seemed to think (whether rightly or wrongly, haha) that I was made of pretty good stuff. Still, in pretty much the same way that our moms and dads continue to think of us as their 5-year old kids even when we're almost 30, Boss WAS and Boss ATC, at that time, probably had a hard time reconciling the 24-year old newbie that they hired with someone capable enough to handle the major brands. And so for years, I stayed with Ketchup, Vinegar and Beans. Very active brands (as far as A&P is concerned), but minor enough to not have any major impact on Op Inc in case I messed it up. I recognized that they saw this as a training ground for me (I used to report directly to Boss WAS who was Marketing Director and Boss ATC who was, at that time, Philippine Market GM) but it was Eric O who made them see the light when--by some stroke of lucky brand realignments--I found myself directly reporting to him. He made a case about how I should be made to handle bigger brands. I was made of good stuff. I was ready. What's holding them back? And so, they gambled on me by letting me handle Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta (both still relatively small back then, but decidedly bigger than Ketchup, Vinegar and Beans, haha). From then on, there was no looking back. He was my boss for only a short while (a little over a year only, I think) as he decided to pursue his MBA in the US, but I will forever be grateful to Eric O for getting me on the fast track to Marketing success. =)



In 2004, Eric O hosted me, Mavel and George when we decided to fly to LA from the FMI Expo in Chicago. =) We stayed with him for, I think, four days and used his home as meeting point for all the ex-Tomato & Pineapple company folks who have since migrated to L.A. This year, he came back for a quick visit. He has not been home since he left for B-School. True to form (he was a no-fuss kind of guy), we only found out he was here days before he was to leave for the U.S.! Susko! So lunch was hurriedly put together. Kabisera @ Bonifacio High Street. I actually missed it and only arrived in time for dessert. Naku! (No biggie as I am NOT a big fan of Kabisera; I think it's waaaaayyyy overpriced for the kind of food that it serves.) Still, it was GREAT (!!!) to meet up with the ex-officemates who have since retired / resigned. It was a quick lunch (par for the course these days, I realize now), but it was good to touch base with him again. =)

And speaking of old friends...susko! Finally managed to find time to meet up with Netski, one of my oldest friends. To be fair, it's not just MY schedule that's going haywire. Hay...hers too. We actually tried to schedule lunch / dinner several times, and cancelled just as often as we scheduled. Naku! Finally, we just bit the bullet and texted each other on a whim, "Lunch?"

"Where?"

"Boni High. I don't have a car."

"Game. Where? Somewhere light. I'm not hungry."

And that's how we ended up in Mini Shabu-Shabu. =D One of my favorite restaurants in the world for both gustatory and sentimental reasons. Hubby Sweet and I ate @ the Shangri-La branch on the first day that we met. Haha. =D


Anyway!!! Netski and I were meeting up because she had to get something off her chest. As we used to do during The Wander Years, we decided to meet up. We used to drown our....uh....sorrows in alcohol. These days, we just simmer them away in comfort food. Times have indeed changed. Haha. =D


Which is why the Mini Shabu-Shabu was perfect. We each ordered a set. If you do go there, one individual set is enough. Trust me. You'd be super busog. I decided to go with the beef; she decided to go with the pork. Everything else in the set was pretty much the same. Egg noodles and glass noodles. Greens. Fish cakes. Fish and lobster balls. Mushrooms. Oyster. Squid. Shrimps. Sea Urchin (?). Fish fillets. *My mouth is watering like some Pavlovian dog just by remembering the list, haha! =D*



The good thing about Mini Shabu-Shabu is that you get your own personal-sized vat so you can pretty much do what you want (unlike the older shabu-shabu restaurants where the grill and vat are shared at the center of the table). I like getting double-servings of the dip as I like dumping most of the condiments into my bubbling vat of broth for added flavor. The "extra dip", I use for...well...dipping (haha =D) before I shove everything into my mouth. *I am still salivating...ngyar...=D*


Netski and I had a long-drawn lunch. Lucky that I was relatively free that day (that's why I texted). Her troubles at that time did not merit all the "quick lunches" I seem to be having a lot of these days. So we talked (and occasionally laughed) as the broth bubbled and tossed all the different ingredients around. Literally soup (and shabu-shabu) for the soul. Haha!

After lunch, we skipped over to Hobbes where we drowned her troubles further in good-for-you-healthy-frozen-yoghurt-smothered-with-not-so-good-for-you-mochis-cookie doughs-etc.-etc. Haha! =D

Back in college, for Freshman English, I remember being asked to read a short story by some writer I have sheepishly already forgotten. What she wrote, however, continues to stay with me to this day. It was a story about two girls who grew up together and were so close, as kids, they practically treated each other as sisters. Then they grew up, moved away from each other, and lost touch--except for the occasional birthday and holiday greeting card. Then they miraculously found themselves within the same place and excitedly made plans to meet up and catch up. When they finally saw each other again, these two who were practically sisters when they were kids, sadly found that they no longer had much to talk about.

You work at friendship, she wrote, realizing what happened between her and her childhood friend.

You write.

You call.

You show up.

Otherwise, you're just two taxpayers.

I value my friends too much to let that happen.

MUST. MAKE. TIME. =D

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Now, why do I get the feeling the first comments I will get out of this blog post will come from BFF Apes and BFF Cheffy--asking me, "So, saan kami magbabayad ng buwis?!" HAHA! =D Sya, sya. Lunch. Next week? *Sheepish grin...=D*

Thursday, June 11, 2009

WELCOME BACK & GOODBYES @ CAFFE PUCCINI =D / =(

These past few weeks has taken me through two extremes as far as friendships go.

On the last week of May, I met up with Lola (henceforth to be coded in this blog as Mrs. Smith) whom I haven't seen in AGES!!! Susko.... Now based in the U.S. with her American husband, she comes home every so often to tie up loose ends with the design studio / ad agency she left behind here. The last time I saw her was when she and Mr. Smith came home soon after their wedding, and Hubby Sweet and I met up with them @ Claw Daddy for some seriously good, artery-blocking crab dinner. Haha. Since then, she must have come home several times--all those times accompanied by BFF Cheffy texting me every so often that he and Lola had breakfast / merienda / lunch / coffee / dinner / etc. / etc. Heck, they live practically next door to each other, and so....=)

Now, unlike during the Wander Years when our scheds more or less jibed (we worked together practically every other day back then, and those times we weren't working, we met up anyway for breakfast / merienda / lunch / coffee / dinner / etc. / etc.), the past few times that Lola came home, I was either out-of-town for work, out-of-town for family stuff or simply stuck in the office for whatever urgent business presentation. Naku! AAAAAAARRRRGH!!! So to say that I was extremely happy to meet up with her again for dinner would be an extreme understatement. I was ecstatic! =D BFF Cheffy was unable to join us (this time, he was in Bataan with his family), but it was good to finally catch up with each other on work, love and life in general. I MISSED HER--A LOT!!! And I do hope the next time she comes home, the universe will align itself to make possible a troika reunion. =D

Now, just as I was welcoming home a friend (albeit temporarily, as she has already flown back to Mr. Smith), I had a despedida lunch for Mao, my bestest friend in the world who saw me all through my foibles from High School onwards. Mao who was ecstatic beyond belief when I met and married Hubby Sweet because he said, for once in his life, he does not have to worry about me anymore--that someone else has to be burdened with that job. Haha! =D

In a few days, Mao will be flying off to Vancouver for good to join his wife, Lil Angel, who has been there since last year for work. Lunch was quick. I had to get back to the office; he had to attend an immigration seminar and pick up a few more last-minute stuff before he goes. Still, it was crammed with catch-up stories on who's doing what and where everyone else is now.

He talked about them (well, mostly Lil Angel) serendipitously finding their dream home, and how excited they are to start fixing the place up. I talked about being excited to move to House Royal late this year with Hubby Sweet, and about us fixing the place up. He asked about the Baby Project. I told him it was more difficult than I thought it would be. I asked him if they plan to have babies soon after he gets there. He said, probably not immediately, but eventually.

He talked about the Winter Olympics being in Vancouver next year. I talked about how my cousin Ate Bab and Kiko's uncle Ninong Mar both live in Vancouver. Maybe you can come over and visit, he said. I told him, we'll see. It depends on how much we have left over after the amortization payments. He agreed. Yup. Amortizations would definitely be a big, humongous cloud hanging over both our heads. But it's going to be worth it, I continued. Little / major sacrifices now. Heck, you won't even remember it next year once you're comfortably settled in a bigger place. He agreed. Which is why he can't wait.

What about your optha practice, I asked. They tell me it's more difficult to establish a practice in Canada than in the U.S., he said. So what are you going to do, I asked. Maybe I have to study again. I don't know. I'll know when I get there.

Are you happy to go or does a part of you wish you weren't going, I asked. A part is sad, I'm a creature of habit, he said. I nodded. I know. So this is a pretty big move for me, he said. I nodded again. I know. But, the biggest part of me, he declared, is just excited to go and start this new life.

Sitting there in that tiny cafe, I came to a grand realization. We've come a looooooooooong way from all those lunches and corridor tambay sessions in good, old CSA.

Whoever thought Mao and Chora would actually grow up? Hay....=)

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Both welcome dinner and despedida lunch was done @ Caffe Puccini @ The Fort Strip--because it's a stone throw away from my office and because I've heard sooooooooooo much good about it but have not tried it myself. Hubby Sweet is not a big pizza and pasta fan so I reserve these types of restaurants for meals out with my friends.

Now, Caffe Puccini has seriously good pasta. Mrs. Smith and I tried this tomato-fish-type (I forgot the name); Mao and I went for the Aglio Olio. Both yum.

That said, if I were to recommend Caffe Puccini to you, it would be because of the pizza. Both times, we went for the Classic Pizza Puccini. With all due respect to Yellow Cab, Greenwich, Shakeys, Jimini, Pizza Pedrico, Lotsa-Pizza, 3M, etc., etc.....guys, I still like you, but I've finally met my one, true pizza LOVE.


Baked in a wood-fired over. Crisp, smoky-tasting crust. Smothered with tomato sauce and what I suspect to be a balsamic vinegar-based drizzle. Topped with Italian sausage, prosciutto (YES, PROSCIUTTO!!! =D) and arugula. Slightly smoky. Slightly salty. Slightly sweet. Slightly nutty. I think I died and went to pizza heaven. =)


Both times, I thought, maybe Father would enjoy having his Father's Day lunch here. Hmmmnnnn....Must ask when we go home to House Better this weekend. =D

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

AND NOW, SEVERAL WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS....=D

I've moved to Demand Management, yes, but I just wanted to immortalize the last TVCs I did before I made the big jump!

Cousin Tiririt and V had a funny story about my niece GB. Upon turning a corner on the way to Eduardo's (code name for our family's ancestral home), they passed by a street vendor selling pineapples. All of a sudden, GB broke into song, singing at the top of her voice: "SA DEL MONTE PINE-A-POOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL............!!!" Hahaha! The Guardian TVC was produced in collaboration with the Kapuso Network. =D

Before I moved on, we also managed to launch our first entry into the snacking category. Junk the Junk! Now, there's a Fit 'N Right you can snack on! =) BTW, Rose also collaborated with Havoc to develop an online game that is currently lodged somewhere in Friendster and Facebook. Play it! But not during office hours, because I've been told it's quite addicting and fun. =D

Finally, my last TVC. Ang birthday na espesyal, di kailangang mahal! =) Check out the recipe on the label itself. I'm especially happy to have this as my last because it is one of the most heartwarming TVCs I've done in a while. May kurot sa puso. Sana magkaroon din ng impact sa benta. Haha! =D

So there. Sayonara, Marketing! (Whether for now or for good remains to be seen. =D) Thanks to all my bosses whom I've learned much from, all my subordinates who I hope to have taught much (hopefully, much more that I terrorized, haha), and to all my agencies for all the great and fun collaborations (never mind the occasional headaches and heartaches).

'Twas a great, GREAT ride! =D

Friday, June 5, 2009

10 WAYS TO GROW / MAY 1,2009 =D

As I was cleaning out my old cube, I came across an article I had printed off the net a few years ago. I was cleaning out my old cube so I could transfer to my new one--only a few steps (maybe no more than 15) down the hall. Those 15 steps, however, spells all the difference in the world.

On May 1,2009, I moved out--not just from my cube but from my comfort zone. I've been in Brand Management since I graduated from good, old ADMU. Truth be told, even as early as sophomore year, I knew that I would be pursuing Marketing when I get out. I took every class, focused all my electives on anything Marketing-related. I built my career.

Early last year, I've been asked by our Group COO to consider moving to Demand Management. It's a new discipline--then, only superficially skimmed in the Tomato & Pineapple Company. No one really knew the full extent. I, for sure, did not. Think about it, he said. We need to set-up a true-blue Demand Management system here. The business needs it. I believe you're the one person who can do it.

In my quiet moments though, I had visions of it being all about historical settings and statistical analysis, and I imagined days (and possibly nights!) of poring through excel sheets, pretending to make intelligent guesses about the future and about how volume and profit can be maximized, given the resources that are on hand. I still love Marketing, I said. That's where my heart is. He let me stay.

Sometime in the middle of last year, I've been asked to reconsider again. This time, I did more than think about it. I actually asked around. Researched. Tried to find out everything that I could about Demand Management. You'd be on the fast-track to being GM, someone said, but truth be told, being GM back then was farthest from my mind. You'd have the opportunity to see beyond Marketing, T&T, they said. You'd have the opportunity to dabble in other disciplines. Beyond Marketing, you'd delve deeply into--and sometimes even drive--operations. It will give you the opportunity to see beyond the Philippine Market into Exports and New Markets, they said. In the end, it became quite clear to me that Demand Management offers more than just spreadsheets. But, I thought, I really like Marketing. So, this time, with fingers crossed, I asked to be ALLOWED to stay. He said OK, carry on.

Earlier this year, the inevitable happened. After the second time, Hubby Sweet actually told me that if I really wanted to stay in Marketing, I should pray that I don't get asked a third time. After all, I do live in the corporate world, and in the corporate world, you go where you are needed--not where you want to stay. I made a deal with God. If I get asked as third time, I will take it as a sign. As luck (or maybe God) would have it, I was asked a third time. "Maybe, I was really meant to do this," I sighed, looking up to the heavens, quite honestly, rolling my eyes. So I took a deep, DEEP breath. I said yes. Then I leaped--with both eyes open.

A rolling stone, they say, gathers no moss. I, on the other hand, have been adept at building a soft, cozy bed for myself.

It was finally time time to get up and roll. =)


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Excerpts from TOP TEN WAYS TO GROW
by Diana Holman and Ginger Pape,
Authors of Repotting: 10 Steps for Redesigning Your Life

What happens to a beautiful plant that outgrows its container? If you don't repot it, eventually it withers and dies. Repotting is our term for transplanting yourself into a larger growth environment. Just as gardeners look for ways to promote growth in spring, you can rejuvenate your life by following this step-by-step process.

RETHINK YOUR LANDSCAPE. Adopting a new perspective is the first step to successful repotting. Just as some plants need a different environment to thrive, you need to start thinking in new ways. Ask yourself: what is really important to me? What trade-offs do I need to make to bring more light and meaning into my personal garden? What will bring color to my landscape? For example, if you are constantly traveling for work, but missing important family events, you could shift your priorities and adjust your schedule.

REALIZE THAT PLANTING IS A PROCESS. Slow down and create time in your schedule to research new avenues for personal growth. Don't be afraid of empty spaces. A friend of ours who cut back on her schedule immediately filled the open time slots with new activities. Remember to let "fallow beds" lie--don't fill up your free time until you know what you really want to do.

WEED YOUR GARDEN. Take a disciplined approach to finding more time in your day for activities that offer opportunities for growth. Make a list of the "must-do" activities, then eliminate non-essentials. A woman we counseled who had her own event-planning firm found her client lunches and after-hours professional activities were getting out of hand. She cut back on the number of commitments to make time for painting classes and choral singing--two long-lost passions.

LET IN MORE LIGHT. Your true gifts may be languishing for lack of sun. In order to grow and change, you'll need to open your mind to new possibilities, set goals that challenge you, and even take some risks. Instead of following a safe path, you might decide to explore something differeint. We worked with a lawyer who was unhappy with the rigid corporate structure. She ultimately became a pastry chef, giving up financial security in favor of a less constraining lifestyle.

TEND YOUR GARDEN REGULARLY. Whatever you choose to undertake, whether it's building a new career, volunteering or pursuing a new hobby, do something every single day to make progress. Don't let distractions take your energy away from the tasks necessary to achieve you goal. If you want to do personal writing but find yourself distracted by TV--try unplugging the set on weekends and using the spare time to keep a journal.

CULTIVATE YOUR DREAMS. To repot succesfully, you need to let your mind run free to entertain new concepts, ideas and avenues. Unleash your creative side by visualizing a new future for yourself. One of our clients, a mother who spent 20 years raising children, allowed herself to visualize a new identity. She tapped into her inner voice and let her imagination to take her beyond her current role to that of therapist for troubled youth.
WATER YOUR ROOTS. Find the core values that motivate you. Make sure the life you are living is in sync with your deepest values and priorities. If not, see what you can do to realign it. Let's say you feel the lack of spirituality in your life, but aren't sure how to find it. For two individuals we know, the answer to spiritual fulfillment lay in serving non-profit organizations. Two others took a religious path: one started a Bible study group, and the other entered seminary and was later ordained.


DON'T FORGET FERTILIZER. When you expand your knowledge, you expand your options. For personal growth, ongoing learning is crucial--whether you're pursuing a hobby or gaining new credentials for a career. The stimulation of learning fosters new growth and change at any age. A middle-aged stock market analyst decided to go back to school for an MBA so that she could start a business with her grown daughter.

PLANT A SAMPLE BED. Until you try a plant in your own personal garden, you won't know for sure if the conditions are right for growth. If they're not, you can always rip it out and start again. Embrace trial and error. A woman we know took training to see if she would like to become a massage therapist. While she enjoyed the nurturing aspect, she realized she didn't have the stamina to do it fulltime. She continues at her desk job and has a small massage practice on weekends.

GET INPUT FROM OTHER GARDENERS. Tap into your network--family, friends and colleagues--who may be able to give you feedback, advice and emotional support. As you benefit from the advice of others, you may also find that you're helping someone else along the way. A woman who wanted to change careers, talked openly with her family, professional friends and people who had known her throughout her life. She found her life enriched by connecting with old friends and developing deeper relationships with new ones.

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A month into this new assignment, I find that there is a lightness in my step, a constant hum in my head, a consistent flow of blood through my veins. It's not that I like Demand Management better than Marketing. It's just different. And because it is different, everyday presents a new opportunity to learn. That, I suppose, makes all the difference in the world.

'Am not sure if I'm any good at this new thing that I'm doing. One thing is sure. I'm really trying my darn best to be. =)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

MONEY FOR NOTHING / FROM TRASH TO CASH! =D

Sister Pusjing forwarded several links to me about recycling fairs that now happen regularly in SM Supermalls and in the Ayala Malls in cooperation with the DENR. Happy, happy, joy, joy! =D Good to know that the big guns are getting involved, but I wish more people knew about it. So this is me doing my bit to tell more people about it. =)

Last weekend (after 3 consecutive weekends of out-of-town trips, woohoooooo!!!), the Hubby and I decided to stay put in House Pioneer instead of going home to House Better as we usually do during weekends. He was feeling under the weather and really just wanted to crash and sleep all day. I decided to use the time to clean--ACK! Something, admittedly, I have put off for quite some time. In any case, while I am not even half-way done, I've discovered (unearthed is more like it!) two XL garbage-bag full of items that I have decided to drop off at these recycling fairs. (Naku, I actually think I can unearth a lot more if I kept at this house-cleaning bit--enough for all the recycling fairs to be held on the remaining months of 2009! Haha. =D)

In any case, they say to minimize your carbon footprint, you must learn AND apply three words. REDUCE. RE-USE. RECYCLE.


Self-explanatory. In any case, you might have some of these lying around your house. You can actually exchange some of them for cash at the recycling fairs:

  • Used Lead Acid Batteries. Genset, UPS and motor batteries
  • E-Waste. non-working electronic and electrical appliances, VHS, betamax, cassette tapes, obsolete CPUs and monitors (Aha! Now I know where I could bring my darn industrial fan with a gnawed-off plug. =))
  • Paper Waste. Used paper, old newspaper, cartons, magazines, obsolete books, posters.
  • Plastic and Metal Waste. Bottles, containers, sando bags, plastic furniture, aluminum cans, tin cans and other metals
  • Printer Cartridges. Toners and ink cartridge




No cash exchanges for the next items on the list, but you may also bring the following in case you need help in disposing them: tarpaulin streamers, household batteries, polystyrene packaging, mobile phones, batteries and chargers, tetra pak cartons.

Let's do our bit to minimize the mountain of garbage that we generate. Goodness knows we have enough of these in every country, city, town, street!


This June, the recycling fairs in the Ayala facilities are from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on the following dates:
  • JUNE 5 - Paseo de Magallanes, Bgy. Magallanes, Makati City (beside Honda)
  • JUNE 12 - Goldcrest Parking Lot, Glorietta Makati (behind the restaurant row)
  • JUNE 13 - Bonifacio Global City, Bonifacio High Street
  • JUNE 19 - Alabang Town Center Parking Lot (in front of St. Jerome's Church)
  • JUNE 26 - Trinoma Open Carpark

Bit of trivia from the Ayala Foundation site: Did you know that recycling ONE aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for THREE hours?

Food for thought as you clean up your house and go to the recycling fairs! =D

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I still have to get the details for the SM Supermalls. In the meantime, should you have any questions re: the Ayala fairs, please call 7521084 or write them a swm@ayalafoundation.org.